Moistening-machine.



C. H. GROWBLL. MOISTENING MACHINE.

APPLIOATON FILED DEG. 22, 1911.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

@wf/ma i ing/[drawings mum-un srrnrns .PATENT ersten.;

CHARLES n. onownnr., 'cr-SWAMrscofrr, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOISTENINGr-IYIIACHINE.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

To all 'whom'z't may concern Beit known that I, CHARLES' H. Cno'wnnr., a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Swampscott,county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new-and useful Improvement in Moistenin -Maehinesk 2 of-which the following is a spec`4 cation, ref- ,erence being had therein to theaccompanyyjp'resent invention relates to moisteners .for gummed tape'of the type of' machines which contain a roll of gummed tape and .deliver the same as required toa wett-ing or moistening roll by means-of which the adhesive on the tape is softened, means being provided for severing the tape at the proper point.

One/object of the invention is to' provide means 'for 'drawin the protruding end of the gumined tape ack under a plate after the wetted portion has been severed in order that it may be maintained flat and'conven- Y ient for use.

Another object is to s0 construct the severing and wetting devices that the protruding end of the tape shall not be Wet or moistened and may, therefore be handled thereafter without sticking to the lingers of the user.` In machines of this character, so far ,as known to me, it has'h'eretoforebeen customary to use a roll of gummed tape, the outside of which is ungummed, and the side nextthe preceding layer is gummed My machine also makes it possible and convenient vto use tape which is Wound with the gummed side outside, but which will bep delivered with the ungummed side uppermost.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will he pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of the specification.

Tn the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same machine. Fig. 3 shows the retractor in its uppermost position. Fig. 4 is a 'detail of the construction of the adiustment, provided for the purpose of enabling the machine to be' employed with tapes of different widths.

Referring to the drawings, at A is shown a base, to which is secured a hollow cylindrical casing or container B, Within which. the

i roll ofgummed tape is received. Said, tape is shown at C, in Fig. 2.

At=D is shown a moisteniug roll, the periphery of which dips in a suitable trough E, containin. the moistening liquid. Intermediate 'vetween the cylindrical casing B and the moistenin l presser foot F, which bears upon the tape and regulates the tension, a retractor G, a guide H, and a knife or other severing device K. f

' The cylindrical casing within which the tape is received consists of a circular wall secured -at 11 and 12 to the base plate, and two adjustable circular'walls orside plates 13, and. 14, see Fig.1. The said cylindrical casing is provided with an opening at 15, through which the tape C 1s led, being guided over an extension 1G of anotherportion 17 of said casing B. The roll of .gummed tape i's free to revolve on'an axle 18 carried on two movable uprights 19 and 23, one of which 19 is provided with two pins 20, 20, adapted to engage the holes 21 in the base A. To the upright 19 is secured the side-plate 13 and the axle 18. It will therefore be seen that the side plate 13 may he conveniently adj-usted lengthwise ofthe axle byputting the pin 20 in whichever of the holes 21`is most convenient. The other end of the axle 18 passes through the other side plate 14, which is loose thereon, and into a bearing in the upright 23. Said upright is adjustable lengthwise' of said axle 18 by means of a thumb nut- 25 working in a slot 26 in the bottom of the standard 23.

lVhen it is desired to put in place a new roll of the gummed tape, the roll is placed on the 'roll D are loca-ted a axle 18 and the upright 19 and side plate 13 seeuredthereto are adjusted according to the width of the gummed tape employed, by means of the pins and holes 2O and V21;V thereafter the other side plate 14 is put in place, and the standard 23 is slipped over the end of the axle and it is pressed toward the roll of gummed tape, compressing al spring 27-Whieh assists to regulate the tension on the tape and prevent the roll spinnin-g. The upright 23 is thus secured in place by the screw 25.

The gummed tape :is it emerges from the cylindrical casing B passes through the opening 15 and' under the presser foot F which is provided with a vertical stud 28, passing through a yoke 29 secured at 30 to the sides of thestandard or base of the machine. A spring 31 forces the presser foot F down upon the tape with a. yielding pressure. the tape passes downward through the retractor which consists, in the form shown in tl'iedrawngs, of a portion 32 of a cylin der with which coperates a correspondingly shaped part G, which I have already referred to as the retractor. This retractor G is movable vertically, being guided by two posts 38, 3ft on the base of the machine over which tit two tubes 35, 36, secured to the retractor, and the retractor is relatively light and is lifted by the tape when. it .is

pulled. out and serves'to draw back the endA of the tape after the used'portion has been severed fromitto a point determined by the size of the retractor.` lThis retractor is so constructed and proportioned that it will' perform its function without causing the roll of tape in the cylindrical casing B to move. After passing through the retracto'r, the tape passes-under a plate H secured by screws 3'( and 38, the object of said plate being to maintain the gummed tape 'in a substantially fiat condition convenient for use without putting unnecessaryjtension'on the tape.

^ While I have described" the retractor as semi-cylindrical in form and believe that to be thelmost satisfactory shape, it is obvious that its essential feature is 'a'l moving member which will be movedvin one` direction by the tape when the tape is drawn out and which will thereafterpress upon the tape'to draw the end thereof back-under the plate or guide TT. so that itwill be kept fiat and convenient to handle.

After emerging from the end of the plate H, the guinmed tape passes over the moistening roll D, but the tape is protected by a 4doctor '39 from contacting with the surface of the moistening roll before reaching a predetermined point. The dista-nce from the edge of the feed plate H vto the edge of the p doctor is about equal to the-distance from the edge of-the plate to the edge of the knifeY K so that the gummed tape is severed substantiallv on the line between the wetted and unwetted portions. The knife acts on the ungummed sid'eof the tape so that there is no tendency to scrape oil" the gum onto the knife, which would be the case if it acted against the gummed side of the tape. The knift is preferably saw-toothed, as shown in Fig. 1, and is adjustably supported on uprights or standards 40 above the edge of the feed plate H; It -will be seen therefore that after the L:ummed tape has reen pulled out and drawn over the moistening roll D it -is lifted up 'by the hand of the operator, and severed on the knife K at a point about on the linebetween the moistcned and un- After leaving the presser foot .protruding from the end of the feed plate H is not left in a sticky condition which is unpleasant to handle. i

By locating the knife above the moisteningI roll and at a distance therefrom as described, it will be seen that the operator himself moves the tape away from the moistening roll before the tape is severed, and the doctor prevents the hand of the operator comingl in contact with the moistening roll-when seizing the end of the strip of tape to pull itout. Whenthe gummed tape is pulled out, the retractor G is lifted up to the position shown in Fig. 3, and it so remains until the stay strip has been severed' on the knife K. Thereafter the Weight of the retractor G pressesdown the stay strip into the cup-shaped portion 32 and draws the end of the tape into the space under the {,'uide H, the amount which protrudes depending upon the size of the retractor. In practice, the machine is constructed so that about one-half inch of the end of the tape protrudes, this being afconvenient amount for the user to seize hold of to vpull out the tape when the next piece is required.

The moistening roll D is made of any con- 'vement material as for instance of brass with a thin covering of felt or similar material. A small' slit or opening 51 is 4left near the top of the casing B and transversely thereof in which is located a small lug or projection 52 on the edge lof the side plate 13. Adjacent this openingis placed a' scale which isgraduated with the widths of tape to bev employed with the moistener.

The side plate 13 having been adjusted by means of the pins 20 and holes 2l as previously described assumes a positive position, and the roll. is held against this side plate by the other side plate and the thumb nut 25 with whatever pressure is deemed advisable. The scale 53 indicates the position of the side plate 13 and hence the width of the tape contained in the machine.

lVhat l claim is z- 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a container for a roll of gummed tape, a moistener, a retractor intermediate the said container and the said moistener and operating to draw the tape longitudinally thereof away from the moistener.

2. In a machine of the character de- ,summed tape on the side of the re'tractor toward the container is held immovable 65 moistened portions so that the portions C against thcaction'bf the retractor.

3. The. improved moistener comprisinga container tor av roll of gummed tape, moistelling means and a retractor comprising a member movable bodily across the path of the gummed tape when it is drawn ont and operating to draw the tape longitudinally thereof away from the moistener.

4c. In a machine of the character de* fscribed, the retractor which consists in a member liormallyiesting on tbe tape at a point below tbe line-occupied by tbe tape as it is being pulled ont, Seid member being moved up across said line by the Said tape when it is being pulled ont, :1nd itself moving tbe portion of Said tape which is adjw cent the retl'zictor flown ont of Said line when the tension on the tape is relaxed and thereby moving the end of tbe tape longitudinally.

5, ln e machine of the character described, tbe retrector which consists in n movable member normally at rest at one side Y of the line occupied by the tape as it is being pulled out and a guide for the said member and across the line of movement of the tape, said movable member being moved by the tape across the .line of movement of the tape es it vis pulled out, and itself moving the portion of the tpe which is.. adjacent the said movable member ont of said line when the tension on tbe tape is relaxed and thereby moving the end of tbe tape longitudinally. l

6. In a., machine of the character described, tbe retractor Which consists in a n 0 movable member resting on the said tape at a point belovv the line occupied by the tape as it is being pulled out, guides for the seid more ble member comprising a rod and sleeve, said movable member being lifted up by the seid tape when it is being pulled out and itself moving downward by grey ity to retract the tape when the tension on the tape is relaxed.

'7. In a machine of the character de scribed, tbe combination of a container for gummed tape, a moistcner, a guide for the tape adjacent the moistener and e retractor movable across the path of the tape et e. point between the container and tbe guide adjacent the moistener whereby the tape is drawn back lengthwise from tbe moistener.

8. ln the improved stay strip moistem'ng machine; the combination in series of e bolder for a roll of gnmmed stay strip, e retractor, a guide, a moistener, a protecting member lying in contact with and covering); up a portieri of said moistener and .located between said guide and Said moistener, said retractor operating to Withdraw tay strip from the moistener over said protecting member, and means for severing desired portions of said stay strip.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. CROWELL.

lVitnesses:

CATHERINE M. GRAHAM, JAMES H. PIGOT. 

